Great gravy doesn’t have to be a last-minute scramble. Here are my tips for making it ahead—without pan drippings—so you can skip the stress and rest easy knowing you’ve got a rich, flavorful sauce ready when the turkey’s carved.
Thanksgiving always starts out calm enough. The kitchen’s still quiet, the list feels manageable, and you’re convinced this is the year everything runs on schedule. Then the day actually happens, and chaos erupts. Every burner is claimed, sheet pans are stacked like Jenga pieces on the kitchen counter, the mixing bowls are somehow all dirty at once, and someone is asking where the potato masher is when you barely know where anything is anymore.
Amidst the chaos, the last thing you should be doing is scrambling to make gravy—scraping desperately for pan drippings that may or may not even be there, and sweating over a saucepan, whisk in hand. Best case, you get a few spoonfuls. Worst case, you get a whisper of drippings and zero gravy potential. And trying to stretch those meager drippings with store-bought stock at the last minute results in a watered-down gravy that lacks depth and flavor.
That’s why I’m firmly Team Make-Ahead Gravy. I refuse to rely on measly pan drippings and a last-minute gravy scramble for one of the most pivotal components of the Thanksgiving table. Plus, making gravy ahead without relying on the roasted turkey’s pan drippings takes one more task off your plate on turkey day, and it tastes exponentially better.
The Problem With Making Gravy From Drippings
There are two main problems with relying on pan drippings to make gravy:
- Scarce drippings = weak gravy: A turkey simply doesn’t produce enough drippings to make a large pot of rich gravy for a crowd. In fact, an average roast turkey only yields a few tablespoons of fat and less than 2 cups of liquid—not nearly enough for the almost 4 cups of gravy you realistically need for a full table of guests. When you try to stretch that small amount with stock at the last minute, you inevitably dilute the turkey flavor and end up with a thinner, less satisfying gravy.
- Stress factor: Trying to whisk, reduce, and frantically season the gravy while guests hover and sides demand attention is simply too stressful for anyone to remain composed in the moment.
The Make-Ahead Gravy Solution
Luckily, there are two great make-ahead options that are guaranteed to make your day easier and your gravy better.
Option 1: Make Gravy From Scratch
This is where you’re building flavor from the ground up—or really, from the bones up. Once your turkey has thawed and you’re prepping it for a dry brine (yes, you should do that too), pull out the bag of neck and gizzards tucked inside the cavity. Roast the turkey neck and gizzards in a large pan. If you don’t have those parts available, do as I do and use a 4- to 5-pound family pack of chicken wings—they bring plenty of flavor and collagen. Then add onion, carrot, and celery to the pan with the turkey parts and let everything get nicely caramelized.
Pour in chicken stock, add herbs and a bay leaf or two, and, if you’d like, a splash of soy sauce and a tiny bit of Marmite, as Kenji suggests in his turkey gravy recipe—they melt into the stock, adding subtle depth and savoriness. Let the stock gently simmer until it turns full-bodied and flavorful. And if you want extra body, throw in a couple of chicken feet while the stock simmers—they’re exceptionally high in collagen, which further enriches the finished gravy and gives it an ultra-silky texture.
Once you’ve strained this stock, you’ll have a rich gravy base that already beats whatever you’d get from chasing a few turkey drippings around the pan. At this point, you can refrigerate or freeze the stock until you are ready to make the gravy, or you can make the gravy and refrigerate or freeze it.
When you are ready to make the gravy, whisk the stock—thawed in the fridge first if frozen—into a roux until it thickens into a smooth, spoon-coating gravy. At this point, you can use it immediately, refrigerate it, or freeze it.
It’ll keep its texture and flavor, and all it needs before serving is a gentle reheat and a splash of stock if it’s thickened too much.
Option 2: Make Almost-From-Scratch Gravy
If roasting turkey parts or chicken wings ahead of time sounds like too much work for gravy to you, you can still make an excellent gravy using good-quality store-bought low-sodium or no-salt-added chicken broth or stock. It will taste significantly better than any pre-packaged turkey gravy mix, and it delivers far more flavor than a gravy made by stretching a few pan drippings with stock, as long as you make sure to throw in the turkey neck and gizzards that come with the bird into your stockpot.
To do this, start by simmering store-bought stock with the turkey neck and gizzards for about an hour to an hour and a half, until the collagen and connective tissue break down, enriching the stock and giving the gravy a silky texture. Again, a small amount of soy sauce and Marmite adds a savory backbone—about 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon Marmite per 1 1/2 quarts of stock is enough to round out the flavor. Strain the stock, then make a roux and whisk in the warm liquid. Simmer until the roux is fully cooked and the gravy reaches your desired consistency, and adjust for seasoning.
This gravy also holds well if made ahead. Reheat gently, thinning with a splash of stock if needed, and you’re all set.
If You Love Turkey Drippings, Don’t Let Them Go
I’m not here to convince you to abandon your turkey pan drippings. They spent hours slowly developing—fat rendering, juices concentrating, and browned bits forming on the bottom of the pan—and there’s no reason to ignore that flavor. But instead of relying on them to start your gravy, use them as a finishing flavor boost. When the turkey comes out, pour a little stock or water into the hot roasting pan, scrape up the browned bits, and strain. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes so that the fat can separate from the liquid. Skim off the fat and discard or save for another use. Stir that turkey liquid into your make-ahead gravy just before serving, and let it reduce briefly as needed.
How to Store Make-Ahead Gravy
One of the best parts of making gravy ahead is that it freezes well, reheats without fuss, and frees you up to focus on everything else that actually does need to happen at the last minute.
Gravy keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, whisking occasionally, or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one to heat evenly and prevent a skin from forming. If it tightens up, thin it out with stock or water; if it’s thinner than you’d like, simmer briefly or whisk in a small cornstarch slurry. And if a few lumps happen, just strain the gravy.
For even longer storage, freeze completely cooled gravy in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat gently, whisking as needed to bring it back together. Adjust the consistency as you would with fresh gravy.
Make it ahead and move on. You’ll get better gravy and one fewer thing fighting for your attention, proving that there is absolutely no reason to be making gravy on Thanksgiving Day.
